Richard Page (left)
discusses Greenpeace's
Emergency Oceans Rescue Plan with a delegate
at the Convention on Biological Diversity
in Nagoya, Japan
So today is my last
day in Nagoya doing my bit to try and make
sure that the Convention of Biological Diversity
(CBD) gathers momentum and that governments
create a global network of marine reserves.
It is good to be in Japan again - the people
of Nagoya seem especially friendly and helpful.
Two years ago I was
lucky enough to visit the Tokyo fish market
at Tsukiji with Callum Roberts, the scientist
with whom we worked to design the Greenpeace
proposal for a global network of marine
reserves and Daniel Pauly, who has done
much to raise awareness of the dire consequences
of overfishing. We were amazed at what was
on show, gleaming fish and seafood from
every corner of the globe, including some
species that the two eminent marine biologists
had difficulty identifying. Seafood is one
of the major elements of Japan’s distinctive
food culture and if the wish is to sustain
that culture into the future, consumers,
the fishing industry and the government
of Japan are going to have to actively support
sustainable management and the creation
of a global network of marine reserves in
order to build up fish stocks and restore
the health of our oceans.
I have mixed feelings
about attending such a large UN meeting.
It is an immense privilege to be here but
also quite like being immersed in a large
vat of treacle - decisions and actions take
a long time to be finalised, even on issues
that you would think were not contentious.
This is exactly what happened with agreeing
the criteria for potential marine reserves
here at the CBD, or as they call them, “Ecologically
and Biologically Significant Areas.” (Concise
and user-friendly language is not the CBD’s
strength.) These criteria are used to identify
areas of the ocean that are most important
for their marine life – ocean ‘hotspots.”
Despite the fact that there are only two
years until 2012, the year by which the
CBD is supposed to have established a global
network of marine protected areas, the negotiators
here are still discussing the exact next
steps of applying the criteria and setting
up a database of the most important ocean
areas. They’d better get on with it and
have it sorted by the end of next week or
they will undoubtedly fail to make the 2012
target and more importantly fail our oceans
and the millions of people who depend on
them.
My next stop is Hobart
in Tasmania, where I will be attending next
week’s meeting of CCAMLR – the Commission
for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources – the body responsible
for the Southern Ocean. I am looking forward
to it, as CCAMLR is leading the way in terms
of establishing high seas marine reserves
and last year created the first bona fide
high seas marine reserve in the waters surrounding
the South Orkneys. CCAMLR has now set up
a process to identify other areas in order
to establish a comprehensive and representative
network of protected areas across the Southern
Ocean using criteria that are similar to
those adopted by the CBD. So come on CBD
– now you’ve got the criteria, put them
to good use. The CBD must save life on earth-
it Can Be Done!
+ More
The State of Play at
the UN Biodiversity Summit
The main meeting room
at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
in Nagoya, Japan.
Hello there. I am Nathalie-
an oceans policy advisor at Greenpeace,
and I have the privilege of leading the
Greenpeace team here at CBD COP10. It has
now been more than a week that the Greenpeace
CBD team descended upon Nagoya….. only 10
days- it feels much, much longer. It is
not surprising it feels longer, since we’ve
been following negotiations that go on till
10pm or later. No doubt caffeine sales have
risen 10 fold in Nagoya this week!
Today is Saturday, and
I am able to take the foot off the pedal
– and have some space to reflect about the
week gone by, to try to take stock of what
has been achieved, and what lies ahead next
week. Everyone is saying that progress has
been slow and painfully slow in some cases.
If governments continue negotiating at this
pace, there may be nothing on the plate
by the end of the conference. We can’t have
another Copenhagen, so the late nights and
caffeine are going to have to continue.
Previously negotiated
texts (that were drawn up at a pre-meeting
in Nairobi) have been reopened and unfortunately,
key biodiversity protection targets for
2020 are being watered down or weakened.
Targets are currently being discussed for
a global network of protected areas: on
land and at sea. Greenpeace is demanding
the CBD have a target of 20% marine protected
areas by 2020 as a step to establishing
a network of 40%. Currently there are huge
differences of opinions between governments-
with some countries such as China arguing
for as low as 6%, and the most ambitious
countries calling for 15%. This is clearly
not going to be enough. Scientists have
already told us that unless we act fast
in the next 10 years it could be too late
to save some key marine habitats- such as
coral reefs- and the damage would be irreversible.
Greenpeace is reminding everyone her at
Nagoya that a global network of marine reserves
covering 40% of the oceans is necessary
to restore our oceans to health.
One of the main reasons
progress has been slow is because many developing
countries- including Brazil- are blocking
movement on a number of issues unless there
is progress on agreement on access and benefit
sharing of genetic resources and financial
commitments by developed countries. They
even admit to this negotiating tactic! So-
what lies ahead this week? It’s hard to
say, a lot can happen in a week- and to
get it right, there will have to be some
more long days and late nights. Hopefully
any unresolved issues will be dealt with
by the ministers and Heads of State who
will have their own negotiating sessions
at the end of this week.
Governments really need
to take a step back and have a look at the
big picture. This is the planet we are talking
about- this is our home- and we have the
responsibility to look after it. We owe
it to ourselves, we owe it to the wonderful
natural treasures it contains, and most
importantly we owe it to our kids, and their
kids. As I look at the photo of my little
girls on my mobile phone- (for the 23rd
time today!)- I think to myself- I really
hope we’ll not let them down. Help make
that hope a reality by signing our petition
to create more marine reserves: for the
sake of their future
Nathalie Rey is a Policy
Advisor at Greenpeace International, based
in Amsterdam. Originally from the UK, she
is the proud mother of two little girls-
ages 1 and 4- both of whom need healthy
oceans.
